Effective and simple recipes for a foot scrub, benefits and rules for using the product, contraindications for use. A foot scrub is a cosmetic product designed to restore smoothness and health to the skin. An indispensable component of the composition is an abrasive substance (salt, sugar, candied honey, coffee, sea sand, etc.), which provides mechanical cleansing of the dermis. Thanks to this, the rest of the ingredients are able to easily penetrate inside it and have a positive effect.
Benefits of a homemade foot scrub
Barefoot walking is very rare today. However, our shoe-protected feet are still exposed to a large number of negative factors. These include age-related changes in the skin, certain climatic conditions, non-observance of foot hygiene and improper care of them (or lack of it at all), heavy loads on the limbs.
Shoes themselves are no less dangerous in terms of the health of the skin of the feet: they are not selected for size or season, too tight or made of “non-breathing” materials. The long-awaited vacation at sea, or rather the burning sun, salt water and hot sand, is not reflected in the best way on women's legs.
Each of these factors, both alone and in combination, can significantly alter the skin of the legs. It becomes dry, rough, peeling, areas of coarseness, calluses and corns may appear. A scrub, including homemade, is capable of inactivating such "effects".
Let's take a look at all the possible benefits of home peeling for your feet:
- Cleansing … Thanks to abrasive particles, the scrub removes dead and keratinized particles from the surface of the dermis, improving its appearance and creating conditions for the active action of other components of the composition.
- Update … Superficial skin cleansing allows you to accelerate the regeneration process, that is, to "start" the natural mechanisms of rejuvenation.
- Recovery … The process of skin regeneration launched by scrubbing not only makes it beautiful, smooth and elastic. Peeling perfectly copes with the task of recovering after a day "on your feet". It can relieve fatigue, relax and restore lightness.
- Protection … Stimulating the natural renewal of the layers of the skin of the legs in tandem with the activation of blood circulation during the peeling process enhances the protective properties of the dermis. Thus, it becomes more resistant to infections and bacterial agents.
- Prevention or control of ingrown hairs … Regular use of scrubs in the epilation area can prevent the ingrowth of unwanted hairs. You can also deal with legs that are already ingrown after the depilation procedure.
It is important to remember that you can only feel the full benefits of using scrubs if such procedures are carried out regularly and correctly.
Contraindications to the use of foot scrubs
Homemade foot scrub is a rather aggressive cosmetic product. And although the skin of the legs cannot be called delicate and sensitive, the effect of scrubbing particles on it is not always beneficial.
Choose another way to restore the beauty of the dermis in the following cases:
- In the presence of vascular problems in the leg area (telangiectasia, varicose veins);
- With dermatological diseases and trophic changes in the skin;
- If she is very sensitive to certain components of the scrub or to mechanical stress in general;
- With injuries and severe edema in the area of application of the scrub;
- If you have skin with close capillaries.
Intensive mechanical action on the skin excludes the use of a scrub on areas with inflammation and damage to the integrity of the integument (open and unhealed wounds, cracks, scars). In these cases, peeling will only aggravate the healing situation.
Homemade foot scrub recipes
Most recipes for effective home exfoliation include commonly available ingredients. Therefore, you just have to choose the most suitable composition for yourself.
Scrub for ingrown hairs on legs with paracetamol
One of the drawbacks of most ways to get rid of unwanted hairs is the ingrown hairs that appear after the removed ones. Such a consequence of depilation / epilation not only spoils the entire effect of the procedure, but can also cause a feeling of discomfort.
This is facilitated by inflammation at the site of ingrowth, often accompanied by the appearance of an abscess. A foot scrub with paracetamol will help solve this problem. Such a composition will remove the stratum corneum, helping new hairs to "pierce" without problems. Plus, it will prevent any inflammatory reactions.
To prepare such a scrubbing composition, grind 2-3 tablets of the drug, combine the powder with a little warm water and your favorite body lotion. The consistency of the scrub should be easy to apply and massage.
The scrub with aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) "works" in a similar way. Grind 3-4 tablets with 1 tsp into small pieces. honey and a few drops of warm water. Use the composition in "problem" places.
How to make a chocolate foot scrub
It turns out that flavored chocolate can please not only your taste buds. It can significantly alter the condition of the skin of the feet - restore smoothness, elasticity and a healthy look.
Consider the recipes for chocolate scrubs:
- Option number 1 "Eastern chocolate" … Mix equal parts ground coffee, brown sugar and cocoa powder - 1 tbsp each. l. Add 0.5 tsp to the resulting mixture. spices - nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger. Now dilute the dry part of the scrub with a couple tablespoons of olive oil. If the mass is not liquid enough, add a little more oil to it.
- Option number 2 "Milk chocolate" … First of all, mix the dry ingredients of the scrub together - 1 tbsp. l. cocoa and 1 tsp. sugar (any). Bring the scrub to a thick consistency with warm milk. To do this, you will need 3-4 tbsp. l. dairy product.
Remember that chocolate can cause allergic reactions. Therefore, it is not recommended to choose this method for any cosmetic procedures with increased sensitivity to this product.
Sugar foot scrub
Sugar is very commonly used in scrubbing mixes as it is comparable to any ingredient and has excellent exfoliating properties. Sugar scrubs are also believed to promote a strong and beautiful tan.
Sugar-based foot scrubs recipes:
- "As easy as pie" … The most affordable way to make your legs beautiful with a sugar scrub is to mix 2 parts sugar (white or brown) and 1 part oil (vegetable oil, ideally olive oil). For more aroma of the procedure, you can drop a couple of drops of your favorite aromatic oil into the composition.
- "Sweet freshness" … An excellent refreshing effect is possessed by a foot scrub, which contains sugar (3 tbsp. L.), 0.5 tsp. olive oil, oily foot or body cream (5 tbsp. l.) and 1 tsp. lemon juice. All of the listed ingredients must be mixed with each other and immediately used for their intended purpose.
- "Lavender Paradise" … To relax after a busy day, relieve fatigue from your legs and make them beautiful, prepare a sugar-based formula with lavender essential oil. To do this, mix 50 g of the sweet product with 20 ml of your favorite shower gel. Add 3 drops of lavender oil to the mixture as a final point.
- "Citrus coolness" … Peeling with lemon and mint will help to give the skin of the feet pleasant freshness and coolness, to fill it with vitamins and vitality. Take one small lemon, crush it along with the peel and seeds. Mix lemon mass with 50 g granulated sugar and add a drop of peppermint oil there.
It is noteworthy that there is no fundamental difference what kind of sugar to use for a scrub - cane or beet sugar. But the size of the sugar grains is more important: the larger they are, the stronger the scrubbing effect will be.
Coffee scrub for feet
Coffee is a well-known substance for toning the body. This property of coffee beans is actively used in cosmetology for toning the skin, in particular for preparing scrubbing compositions for feet.
Coffee scrub recipes for foot care:
- "Coffee with salt" … To make your legs more attractive, massage them with the following scrub: 1 tbsp. l. natural finely ground coffee, 1 tsp. sea salt, 2 tbsp. l. vegetable oil (olive, corn, peach, sunflower or almond - your choice). You should have a medium density mass that is optimal for exfoliating your feet.
- "Coffee with cloves" … Such a scrub has not only an incredible smell, but also just a miraculous effect on the skin of the feet. It restores the dermis and at the same time stimulates the tone of the legs. In a convenient container, combine ground coffee (3 tbsp. L.) With 1 tbsp. l. sea salt and 1 tsp. ground cloves. Add olive oil (or any other vegetable oil or even butter) to the mixture until a thick scrub is made. To do this, you will need about 1 tbsp. l. oil ingredient.
- "Coffee with sour cream" … No less efficiency can be expected from a combination of coffee and sour cream. For example, if you combine 50 g of coffee grounds with the same amount of low-fat sour cream. To enhance the beneficial effects of the coffee-sour cream composition, add to it crushed lemon, orange or tangerine zest (10 g) and a "bouquet" of aromatic oils of linden, mimosa and rose (5 drops each).
- "Coffee + soap" … Another easy way to tidy up your legs with ground coffee is to mix it with sea salt, any liquid soap, and juniper essential oil. To do this, you need to take coffee in an amount of 50 g, sea salt - 100 g and your favorite soap - 100 ml. For such a ratio of ingredients, 5 drops of juniper oil are enough.
For a more effective coffee peel, choose a natural product of fine to medium grinding. You can use it both fresh and after using it for its original purpose. That is, in the form of a thick layer that remains after brewing.
Salt foot scrub
Salt (both sea and ordinary kitchen) is not only an excellent abrasive for dry feet, but also a storehouse of trace elements for their restoration. It is one of the most commonly used ingredients in scrubs.
Foot salt scrub recipes:
- "Salt and Oil" … The classic combination of homemade foot scrub salt is with vegetable oil. As with sugar, the proportion of sea salt and vegetable (any) oil is 2: 1. Such a composition perfectly copes with the problem of sweating of the feet, and if you add a couple of drops of aromatic oil (citrus, lavender) to it, you can also solve the problem of an unpleasant odor.
- "Tomato scrub" … Very popular among those who monitor the condition of their feet, a composition based on tomatoes and sea salt. To do this, you need a tomato peeled and mashed with a fork and 1 tbsp. l. salt. Choose a tomato that is large, fresh and ripe. Use the tomato scrub right away.
- "Honey-vinegar" … Such a composition effectively softens rough skin areas, therefore it can be used not only for the feet, but also for the knees and elbows. To do this, first mix 1 tbsp. l.natural vinegar and honey, then add 3-4 tbsp. l. sea salt.
- "Lavender" … The cleansing and revitalizing effect of the salt peel can be enhanced by the relaxing and soothing effect of lavender. Take half a cup of sea salt, mix it with a couple of drops of lavender aroma oil and bring to the desired consistency? a glass of milk (or water). The latter should be taken at room temperature.
- "Citric" … You can saturate the skin of the legs with nutrients and restore smoothness to it with a scrub according to the following recipe: grate the lemon zest, select 30 g of lemon mass and combine it with 3 drops of rosehip oil. Then add 70 g of sea salt, 15 ml of any vegetable oil and 80 g of foot cream there.
For salt scrubs, it is best to use medium to coarse salt. Sea salt has a richer composition in terms of nutrients. But in the absence of such, you can use an ordinary kitchen.
How to scrub your feet
Conventionally, the procedure for peeling feet can be divided into 3 stages, the observance of which guarantees a visible result:
- Preparatory stage … Includes cleansing and steaming of the feet. You can clean your skin with any soap or gel. It is better to steam your feet in a hot water bath for up to 10 minutes. In this case, you can use both pure water and with the addition of herbal infusions (chamomile, sage, oak bark) and / or 5-7 drops of aromatic oils (geranium, rosemary, citrus, rose). You can also add sea salt, including special compositions for the feet, dried citrus peels.
- Scrub application … Apply the cleansing compound to the prepared legs and massage it into the skin for two to five minutes. Adjust the intensity of rubbing depending on which area you are treating: in the area of the heels you can not be very delicate, but the skin of the legs requires a careful attitude. Then you can just sit for another 2-3 minutes so that the active substances of the scrub are absorbed into the dermis. It is more convenient to apply the scrub to the legs one by one, without taking them out of the water - while one leg is being massaged with the scrub, the other remains in the bath. And vice versa.
- The final stage … In the same bath, wash your feet from scrub residues, dry them with a towel and apply a cream (nourishing, moisturizing, rejuvenating, etc. of your choice).
To get the maximum benefit from the peeling procedure, it must be carried out taking into account certain rules:
- Make sure that you have at least 20 minutes at your disposal, during which no one and nothing will force you to interrupt the procedure. And not only because the continuity of the process is important - it's just that your legs will be too busy to move you in space.
- Ideally, you should plan your foot scrubbing before bed, so that your legs are properly rested during the night and completely absorbed all the beneficial substances after the procedure.
- Make it a rule to pamper your legs with peeling at least 1 time a week. The optimal frequency is twice a week. In advanced cases, exfoliating procedures can be done even more often.
Remember that hand-made foot scrubs contain only natural ingredients, so they are single-use products and cannot be stored. Also keep in mind: the shorter the time interval between preparation and application of the scrub, the more effective it will work.
How to make a foot scrub - watch the video:
It is quite possible to return beauty and smoothness to your feet without visiting salons. Take a time for yourself, prepare your favorite scrub - you will see how much you can change yourself with your own hands!
